Balance of Dominance
by Kazekage Q
Summary: Kabuto's rise to power as the dominant villain in the Naruto Universe. A secret ninja follows and tries to stop Kabuto and Sai who have teamed up whilst Chuunin in Konoha keep the village alive as best as they can.
1. Chapter 1

Balance of Dominance

**Balance of Dominance **

**Chapter 1: Cataclysm**

_Sai:_

I walked outside, paintbrush in one hand. A painting of my teammates and I, smiling and happy in the other. It wasn't true. I wasn't happy. I peered out from my balcony; the sun was being swallowed by the horizon. The light was fading. The air coolly whipped across my face and ever so faintly patted my hair.

The thought crossed my mind. It had been crisscrossing my mind for months now, ever since I met him, taking every form and shape imaginable. What is Naruto? How is it he has affected me so much? When we first met, I had seen Naruto as weak. He was overemotional, and these emotions made me feel he was nothing more then a pawn. And yet, he has done immense things.

How come? How can Naruto have so many emotions, so many bonds, and yet, he is so powerful? And worse yet, I have been wondering. I never used to wonder. I was an object, emotionless, listless. I did, I plan, I was. Now I ponder, I reflect, I dream?

I have become weaker. Ever since meeting Naruto, it is a fact. Naruto, has made me weaker. He gave me what everything I have rejected for so long. Emotions. I am now an enemy to my old being. The old being in me would have countered and maybe even killed who I have become. The essential truth to being a Ninja is, you must be emotionless. It is a commandment, and it is the Shinobi way. What then, am I? And, what is Naruto? Naruto cannot be a ninja. He is enslaved to his emotions. He does not know any restraint to them. His emotions are overbearing, and not just to himself. They are in infectious. For they have entered and poisoned me.

My senses had returned. A very powerful presence was moving in my direction from behind. It landed about ten steps behind me. I had seen this presence before. I greeted him with my eyes.

The remnants of the sun cast a glitter on his glasses. His most striking feature was his smile. Smiles are tricky. In a way they are an art form much mightier then a paintbrush can understand, or, ever hope to convey. His smile both chilled me, and, it gave me hope. He was intimidating, yet, irresistible. His smile, had, in fact, disarmed me. As a Shinobi of Konoha I should have already reacted, by whipping out my weapon and stabbing his heart through. I had not.

"You go by the name Sai, is that correct?" he asked in a tone that spelled friendship. He was relaying to me, through the tone of his voice, he was not going to hurt me unless I let things get out of hand.

"Yes, I do. What is it you want? A man such as yourself I am ordered to capture on sight," I warned him. Of course, this ninja knew this better then I knew it. He was the one who had sneaked here so of course that must have been on his mind. I said it to hasten him.

"Then you realize that what I have come here to talk with you about is, to me, a matter of life," he answered matter of fact. There is a time when all must accept defeat. For a shinobi, learning when that time is can matter the life of an entire team of ninjas, or none. So we are taught to understand it. Naruto Uzumaki, had never learned this trait, but instead continued on the ludicrous mission to save Sasuke a common traitor. I had learned it. And with that statement I knew, I had been utterly defeated. The man I was talking to understood me.

Understanding your enemy is an advantage. I watched him carefully through a new perspective. No longer thinking what I should do if we were to fight, but how to escape or reach help if this goes unwell. He wore a cloak that hid most of his body and all but a partial of his face.

"Yes, I understand you clearly, what is it?" I asked him. His eyes moved and focused on me.

It has been said, that the eyes are the window to the soul. If this is true, then does that make the door the mouth? I had believed that, until I realized how easily the words, the tone, and the meanings could be blurred or misspoke. To me the eyes are not a window, they are the door. They can stand locked, but, in sweet tiny instances, whether the person, or something else, they open and you can come to understand the inhabitant. They usually lay closed and dormant. A curiosity. Yet, when his eyes had met mine, the door was opened a peek. And inside, I could see a Shinobi. Perfect and powerful.

"Sai, I have a request. As you have probably learned Orochimaru is dead," he paused and I shook my head to acknowledge this. "With Lord Orochimaru dead, I was at a crossroads of what to do. The fates however have opened my ideas. I have suddenly been made to know exactly what my purpose is. Konoha, must be destroyed."

I looked at him. It was a goal his former master had believed too. Konoha was mighty; it would not easily let him conquer it. He wanted me to help. This struck me. I was rarely looked at in such favor.

"Why do believe I could help you?" I asked. His green eye hit me. The physical aspect that reminded one who else was inside him. It was a quivering sight. It made him all the more intimidating. A man, who could fuse Orochimaru with him, was either a fool, or crazy. At least that was what the people had believed. I saw it differently. A man, who even knew how to do it, was genius.

"When I met you, you were able to convince Lord Orochimaru that you were able to be trusted. Though he merely glanced at that trust, you had done it. I spent months with Lord Orochimaru and it took great time for me to earn his trust. Anyone who can do this must then be an asset. During the time I spent with you I also noticed something else in you Sai. Discontent. Surely you see as well as I that things in Konoha are not as they should be. This world, in fact, is not as it should be. And we can help to fix it. If you work with me, I can help you," he finished and smiled. The power of his smile had hit me.

I was struggling. I should have immediately told him no. A Konoha Shinobi should have already struck him down, or retreated and gotten reinforcements. I had done neither. And now, I was unable to say what I was supposed to say. I should have denied him in all ways, and yet. I could not. Was this my own doing; was this the emotions of Naruto? No, this was my old self. I suddenly felt myself, and I was a traitor to my very being. Not because I had refused to be loyal to Konoha, but instead because I was willing to be loyal to Konoha. A shinobi's loyalties should not exist; shinobi should exist wholly for the purpose of finishing the mission.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked. The sun had left with the day, the night had opened. The stars twinkled, and the world was silent to our meeting. A gleam had entered the shadowed figure's eyes as he responded.

"You will leave, tonight. Naruto kun isn't in the village, so no time is better then now for you to make your move. After leaving you, I will create a distraction. You must use it. I ask that after our meeting you head directly to the Kage's Castle, and find Tsunade. And after that, kill her. My distraction will last, but not permanently. People will require her guidance and wish to find her. So you must be quick. After you have killed her, exit the village. I will find you. What do you say?" he asked with his tone disappearing from serious to happiness.

"I will consider it," I said. A part of my body screamed, and a part of me approved. I couldn't, let the old Sai die. He was who I am.

"This day will truly be an unbelievable day Sai, and the start of a whole new vision," he ended. He ran at me and hopped over the side of my balcony and into the abysmal of darkness below me. I stood staring at the night.

_Hagane Kotetsu:_

Izumo and I were bored. The Chuunin Exams had just passed, always a highlight of fun messing with the Genins, and now we're back on guard duties. We stood by the gates keeping up face. We had to be vigilant and watchful lest there be a villain who enters our path. The most pointless mission. If a villain is stupid enough to pass through our gates, then he is not worth our time. And if he is smart enough to pass through our gates undetected, he is probably clever enough to do it in a way he won't get caught. So instead we spend our entire time helping, the locals.

The locals are the worst. They come to town to sell a pig, so they want us to carry it to market. They come to town to sell a cabbage so we must carry it in. They come to town to sell their daughter so we must find her a suitable academy. Snooze, boring and droll. While we are at it can we go ahead and be required to dance disco? Lame.

But Izumo and I had found ways to make even this most dreadful duty fun. Warning passerby's of an inner Konoha Mafia that killed people with bad haircuts, or that on the road there were rumors of a Monster that was preying on all who would leave the town and step on weeds. It was quite fun watching them leave hopping across the trail.

However, tonight was different then usual. Few people had entered the gates. This was bizarre, as it is often that late at night people would hurry inside the gates of Konoha before night had advanced upon them and they became the trap for bandits or enemy ninja. Izumo and I exchanged glances. Izumo and I had worked together for a long time, so as little as a glance between us could tell novels, and, enemy spies wouldn't be able to pick up a clue.

I couldn't name it but I felt it. I was confused, it was heavy, and it was burning. What was it? I was losing my focus, and I slowly felt my knees pressing into the ground, I was being pushed? No there wasn't a hand on me. What was this force? Something was shoving me downward. Where was Izumo? I am unable to see. Something bright was in my left eye towards the path. Something was moving towards me. What, what was going on?

It was in that instant a hand pulled me back to my feet. I knew the hand and who it belonged to and as quickly as it had fallen my world snapped back in place. Immense Chakra was burning through the land. It was powerful, a power I had not felt in 15 years. A power I had never thought I would feel again, it was one from a dream.

When I was twelve Izumo and I snuck out. True, we were Chuunin by this time, but we had been told to stay away. We did, for a very short time. However something was occurring up the field. We sneaked there, and I realized that it was a power beyond recognition. The day the 4th died. The day the 9 tails visited Konoha. A cruel day. The magnitude of the beast which our eyes had merely glimpsed had sent us into powerful chills of terror, for years. It was also the day Izumo and I had lost our third teammate.

I quickly refocused, understanding the precious value of every second. I turned to the hand that had grasped my shoulder to see what Genma thought and I could see he was, as always, calm. The senbon in his mouth was being twiddled. Over my shoulder Izumo was smiling. It helped comfort me knowing he was relaxed. I pulled myself together.

"This is unbelievable," the voice of Captain Raidou had appeared and I knew it wasn't a mere dream, "it is beyond my senses."

"Did you warn the village?" Genma asked.

"Yes, they are evacuating those who cannot help and garnering the forces that will be able to do anything. Still, this night is eerie, and truthfully I feel there is nothing we can do to stop this. Our forces are drained, at best, and we have very little in the means of great Shinobi. Jiraiya-Sama was the only one I could imagine fighting this strong of a power and he is…" his voice ended.

I refocused my gaze upon the light I had seen earlier only to let out a slight gasp. It was a drenching purple charka so thick my eyes swelled with tears at the sight of it. It illuminated the forest and the night as if the sun itself were bursting through a new hue. I could sense the force moving slowly towards Konoha.

Izumo smiled and began to recite incantation. He did this to "awaken" his Chakra and I can't say it wasn't a failing practice. I sighed – this was not what I had hoped for in something adventurous. This was far too deadly, and I could only imagine the damage this was going to bring upon Konoha. And yet, it still felt familiar. I know it was hard to believe but, it reminded me of, but how could it be?

The head of the Beast burst through the forest and trees were brushed aside as one brushes away their hair. The sight alone was breathtaking and enough to bring a man to his knees in awe. However, we stood firm. The four of us that had gathered at Konoha's gates knew nothing could be gained in trembling. We had, for the present, cast out our fears. It's shape was hard to define. It's Chakra so bright, I could not make it out. One could not look directly upon it.

I felt other Chakras around me begin to pour out but in comparison they seemed so meager. As ants come out of an ant hill, we had no power to subdue the giant beast that had come before us. Still, even the ant will bite. And so we will try. Other ninja had started arriving. I recognized many. All wore grave faces, the faces that accepted their fates. The beast approached, and I prayed.

"Well if this is how it goes, then this is how it goes," said Izumo simply. Easy-going guy, he gave us small increments of encouragement. Each man said their piece that would motivate them to do the impossible.

"Today we die for Konoha," Genma said.

"Miracles happen," Raidou replied.

"Even the ant can be invincible when met with an army," I mused. I started recognizing the force of Konoha had met at her walls to fight this monstrosity of power as it edged slowly to us. It took slow, methodological steps which was nothing typical of a beast.

"Well Kakashi looks like we are in quite a stew," I noticed Might Guy, Kakashi, and Iruka standing near.

"It would seem so," Kakashi coolly replied without an air of interest.

And to my right I could decipher some of the younger Chuunins of Shikamaru, Hyuuga, and Inuzuka huddled close discussing a battle plan. It was all vain, but without it, I suppose man cannot approach the impossible. I pulled out a special summoning scroll of mine. I was typically one to save scrolls, but this didn't seem like the situation to worry about efficiency. A poof of smoke dusted the air to conglomerate with several other clouds as animals and weapons were summoned across the gate and wall.

In a way it was simple, to the eye and the uneducated it appeared merely as two spears. However, they were much more powerful then that. Hooked, they were designed to grapple an opponent to the ground in a spinning motion. True, I would not be grappling this behemoth of Chakra to the ground, but they dig in well, and can slice through near anything. They have a special signature design, which enables the opponents Chakra to channel and funnel back through the spear making the enemies own Chakra their weakness. Again, I wasn't expecting much. But I was going to do what can be done.

It had arrived. It stood close. No one was sure who should start the manslaughter that was sure to come or even how to. I tightened my bandage across my nose and looked to Izumo. He looked back, and we said goodbye to each other without a word spoken. I prepared my battle stance. But the air was not broken by the movement of Ninja or the strike of the demon, but by a scream from the Kage Castle. The ghoulish scream that pierces the air, and is never forgotten but rings in the heads of all who hear it, forever.

_Briex:_

Callback from a mission. That is my least favorite line I can ever read in a report. Callback. All the work done, all the effort, all the accomplishments, useless. Callback. I recently received such a dreadful report. I was in the tip of Stone Village, far beyond the realm of normal ninja jutsu. It had taken me quite a long time, nearly two months, to start blending in and learning for the mission. Then with one half starved bird, callback. The mission was over. I was to return to Konoha immediately. Still, it must have been quite an event, to have called me back without littering a single hint or brief me on a singular reason, and jeopardizing the mission by flying a Konoha bird right into the postal station. Something dire had happened while I was away. The letter itself had been 5 days old when I received it. And I had walked through the gates of Konoha 4 days after that. I prided myself on always beating the bird that called me back.

Whatever had struck Konoha, power and size were only part of its strength. The wall had been ripped open in parts, the gates almost entirely unhinged. Many houses lay in ruin. Still the gloom and somber faces I saw etched in every direction were probably just as moving. Konoha had been, crushed. Solemnly, wholly, and utterly, crushed.

I needed to see who I knew survived before meeting with the Kage. Just as I was thinking this Naruto had walked by. "Naruto," I called out to him.

"Hey, it's you," he said, his face of depression had turned to a momentary excitement. "I haven't seen you in a while, glad you are alright."

"Are you alright? The others?" I asked.

His face became dark and I knew he boded bad news for at least one of my comrades. "The fifth, the fifth Hokage is dead," he said, stumbling over the words as if he was shocked to hear them himself. "Included with her, Shizune and…" his voice trailed off, "Sai's body was undiscoverable."

It was shocking to think of these people as dead. They had been commonplace to me, now they were forever distant. "What happened here Naruto?" I asked.

"I wasn't here, I am not sure," he answered. "They say, something attacked them that could only be described, as a Bijuu."

"Is that possible?" I asked. A mystery was forming.

"No. I wasn't here. Every other Bijuu had been taken by the Akatsuki," he muddled. He was losing interest quickly. "It's just what people had been saying."

"Well thanks for telling me Naruto, we'll have to do Ramen before my next mission, what do you say?" I could tell he was fading and so I needed to exit before things regressed uncomfortably.

"Of course! Good to see you really. Good luck," he bounced away, heading to Sakura whose shadow was resting along with her on a wall. Apparently she didn't want to see me.

I continued on my path up to the Kage castle. The glass frame was missing, and the appearance of a scuffle was obvious here. Even after 9 days. Whatever battle had taken place, it must have been tremendous. Up the stairs I went but it wasn't till I reached the top and looked back out over the balcony that I realized the true impact that had been seen that night. Devastation and destruction were in every corner of Konoha. I was speechless, unmoving for a moment as my grief had gripped me.

I pulled open the door. I wasn't sure if I was even supposed to be here, but considering I was called back this is where I normally headed. At the desk where the Kage usually sat Kakashi was lazily lounging, listening to two old coons swagger about the state of affairs. They looked at me as I walked forward and quickly excused themselves. That was how I always remembered them. Behinds quickly scuttling out the door. To important to mention anything among common folk.

"I have returned from my mission," I said.

"Yep. Well as you have surely gathered, Konoha seems to have been attacked by some unknown Bijuu. 5th Hokage among many others was killed in combat. The funeral was two days ago." Kakashi said.

"Any of my…" I began.

"No, your family is safe," Kakashi quickly answered as I felt relief. "I have been named acting Kage till another candidate is picked. It is likely, a permanent occupation with the Sennin dead. I have another mission for you. I know it's sudden, but it requires urgency, I'd like it if you could move on it by tomorrow. After you check in with family and friends."

"Of course, I will get to work on it immediately," I said. In a way that was the last thing I wanted, I had already missed out on what happened to Konoha and now I wouldn't even be able to help in the reparations. I'd be a stranger to this piece of Leaf Village History.

"Good. You are an amazing tracker; you would be suited for this mission. Keep the codename from your last mission Briex, it is unlikely anyone from the tip of Stone will be in the valleys and marshes you are headed too," Kakashi said. So I was still Briex. No, it was not my name. Yet, it was my identity for the time being. "You are going to be following leads on two people who sources say may be a threat. I don't believe they performed the acts of ten days ago. But I do believe that they may know who did."

"So this mission is of immense importance for Konoha's exacting revenge?" I asked. Kakashi nodded. "Then I will do it to my best."

I turned and walked out the door, but Kakashi had one last thing to say. "Be careful, you saw what they were able to pull off in Konoha, they will kill you."

An unlucky callback. Couldn't have been a worse one. Still this mission is perfect. My time to shine. And show Konoha what I am capable of. I will kill them.

Uh, first story...So, whatcha think? Give me some helpful advice... And if I should just hang up the pen, hey tell me that too


	2. Dawn of the Med

Chapter 2: Dawn of the Med

_Sai: _

I was a member of Root for a long time, and there was minimal attention paid to Kabuto Yachiru. Instead, it was focused on the famed Sound Five, Akatsuki, and Orochimaru, along with a league of minor threats from Rogue ninja and giant nations wishing war with us. They were wrong. Kabuto outshines them all. When I agreed to go with Kabuto I expected to work together with this man, but how ill conceived was that. His distraction wasn't a distraction, it was a super weapon.

Kabuto and I were crisscrossing the country. It was better that we kept moving and made our appearances sparingly so that no one could follow us. 2 weeks had passed since we left Konoha. Before we had left Konoha, Kabuto had used up the last of his Chakra to heal my injuries that Tsunade had burdened upon me. Kabuto then warned me, "This is the last time I will be able to perform any jutsus for a while if I wish to heal correctly and regain control of my body."

I was returning. I had felt the joy of becoming joyless return. There was something intoxicating and yet, senses cleansing in being an emotionless mask. I remembered watching and knowing how much better I was when the people of Konoha ran in fear for the safety of their mountain. And there was the face of the one I had killed shining back at them from the precious mountain. Nothing could beat it. Except, possibly, the life of a rogue ninja. It wasn't all that different then the life I had lived before. Kabuto had lived this life for years and was completely accustomed. But I was new to this side of the Shinobi. It was splendid.

We camped only 3 days inside a town. However, my understanding had grown exponentially. I could suddenly match new faces to people. I now understood the face of those who were like us, Rogue Shinobi. They had certain, nearly undetectable rhythms that slightly differed to others. It was an understanding outlawed ninja shared. But, it was a perfect one. A common understanding that linked us together in the ultimate struggle against the law. It made me wonder-no I had not stopped wondering yet -about my previous life as well. What had caused me to even stay with Root or Konoha all this time? There was nothing for me there, I was wasting away. But I think I knew the answer. It was the same reason I loved this life. The deception and the killing. I was lucky now, I had only one man whom could keep me from killing all I wanted, and no one to stop me from deceiving.

"Where are we going?" I asked on the last day of the second week.

"Orochimaru has a base nearby. We will start our work there. We have a glorious plan to work upon the fools," Kabuto said and I detected excitement infused with logic.

"What is the plan?" I questioned further.

"Hm, well in a nutshell, it's using everything that makes Konoha strong, against itself. But not just Konoha, every ninja nation has these same equal weaknesses. I know, I have been to them all," Kabuto replied.

He moved ahead of me and his speed was picking up. I knew that whatever it was for me to learn was over. I just had to think about what he had told me. The weaknesses all ninja nations face? Turning it's strength, into it's greatest fault?

I have also come to understand how ninja can form behind a single entity. Before I had shown hatred for Sasuke Uchiha. He had chosen Orochimaru, an enemy of Konoha, to follow. But as I now lined up underneath Kabuto it was evident. To become a perfect ninja, you must be someone else's weapon and no greater is the power of a person subject to being another's weapon then in the life of those who follow Rogues.

Kabuto landed against a nearby tree and I grabbed onto a branch with my arm. He motioned for me to be quiet then pointed out an especially dense part of the swamp. It was moist and adjacent to a deeper part of water then the rest of the putrid and humid land was. This breach of no man's land was truly no one village's to claim. Nature's resistance making it a home to very few. Nature's resistance has become the refuge for Rogues.

"That's the base," he whispered, "and someone's home."

The moments ticked away as Kabuto halted; not so much hesitating, but deliberating. Finally he pulled a double edged kunai out of his back pocket and leapt from the cyprus. I pulled out a small, Chakra coated brush. It was one of my most deadly weapons. When applied to paper it was a brush, when applied to flesh it was a saber.

He had a slight limp and I recalled him pointedly saying he couldn't fight for a while. So this was more of a show of intimidation then it would be an actual battle. Still, who would be at such a desolate area? Surely any of Orochimaru's subjects would have fled by now. The answer was other Rogues, and those who didn't fear Orochimaru's cunning -which was few- and could find this base. We walked up to a stone tablet entangled in overgrowth and vines. If you hadn't known it was there, it would be indiscoverable to you. Kabuto pressed his thumb to the side and twisted it, ripping his thumb out of joint.

A bush fell flat and immediately a small tunnel was perceptible. Kabuto dropped into the tunnel. I carefully studied the bush and realized Orochimaru's genius. The leaves of that bush are a deadly natural chakra that can incinerate a man. I followed Kabuto below. My world quickly became swallowed and then awoke inside a dank dungeon of a stone hallway. There stood a few torches lit along the walls; I heard something rattling. No, not rattling, but a voice.

Kabuto snickered and shouted, "Oh Sasuke, have you come home to visit? Lord Orochimaru is out right now would you care for me to take a message?"

The words had scarcely left his mouth before a shadowed figure holding a katanna was at the end of a hallway followed by many voices and then shadows. "Isn't taking messages a bit higher of a role then he ever gave you, Kabuto?" the indisputable voice of Sasuke replied, "I seem to have not killed you. Shall I fix that mistake now?"

I knew this wasn't good. Kabuto may be confident, but he was hardly in a position to fight. I watched. Kabuto was cunning with words, so this would have to be his time to show it. "Oh is that so, a mistake," Kabuto jabbed, "well if your ego can take it they say to err is human."

Figures emerged from the shadows. There were several and they were all outfitted in Akatsuki cloaks. A shadow held firmly latched onto half of Sasuke's face, but the half that met the light was even more ferocious and unknown. "What do you want here?" Sasuke asked.

"Sai!" a voice shouted from across the hall, one I had never expected to hear again. I tilted my head to Sasuke's right and out of the shadows recognized. Suigetsu.

"Sui….Suigetsu," I mumbled. I couldn't believe, it, how, is, he, he's, alive?

Kabuto looked to me. For the first time since I met him his face showed concern, but on top of this confused worry was the excitement of a situation he didn't know. "You know, Suigetsu?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes, he knows me," Suigetsu shouted. "For a long time he considered me his brother! So, little Sai, become a true ninja yet? Like I told you to."

"I'm on my way," I answered trying to remember I was a Shinobi, to be emotionless. But it was difficult. I had just left Naruto, the cause of my emotionless setbacks and now the original source of my emotions had resurrected itself to taunt me.

Kabuto quickly reanalyzed the situation. I was beginning to be able to read his smiles and faces. They were genuine, but different. "I am here merely for a quick rest before I unleash my own plans on the world. I see you joined Akatsuki. Interesting, if you ask me that's devolution to someone of your standard. I heard you met elder Uchiha. How is he now?"

"Dead. I'll work with Akatsuki, whatever means it takes to destroy Konoha. Are you going to get in my way, Kabuto?" I could feel the hatred in the words. Apparently anything to Sasuke that reminded him of his time spent with Orochimaru was like a poison.

"As a matter of fact," Kabuto said, letting every word carefully land, "I already gave you a head start. Though you lustily hate and want to destroy things, don't you? First Orochimaru, then your brother, now Konoha."

That one had landed perfectly on the group. Their faces quickly became a mix of puzzle, and then, it was almost as if they realized that we had done something mighty. Instead of faces that were merely seeking to decide whether we were worth destroying they saw us as credible threats.

"Oh brother, what is it you have pulled off?" Suigetsu called.

"I killed the 5th," I stated coolly.

The faces had definitely changed now. Suigetsu's especially. From a mocking tone it quickly became, near admiration. "You Sai! Impressive. You really have grown," he said with a smile.

There were several factors in play at this dangerous moment. There was the war of faces and words between Sasuke and Kabuto, there was the unpredictability of the others still in the shadows, quietly hushing tones to each other. And there was the past between Suigetsu and myself. Every party was worried about the other and if it had enough strength to manage not taking damage. The situation was the epitome of tense.

The wind struck a flame and I watched it duck low and suddenly darken the entire group. It reminded me of a lightning strike played in reverse. The thunder came just as quietly. Sasuke looked away coldly. "We don't have time for this. If these two really pulled off that stunt then every ninja in Konoha is probably hot on their trails. Let's get out of here," he decided and they dissipated away out of our sight.

"Sai! Let's meet again, and when we do, you better be strong, because I am going to kill you!" Suigetsu's words echoed hypnotically as the group disappeared.

"Now then, shall we begin our own plans, Sai? Those fools will not destroy Konoha," Kabuto coolly said, walking the path they had just stood moments earlier, threatening our entire existence. I read his face. It was victory.

_Kagane Kotetsu: _

The distinct drone of whispered voices was the first thing I sensed. I quickly recognized Genma and another familiar voice talking. My eyes were closed and I was pulling in the surroundings. Was I alive? My memories of what had happened were completely shattered. We were in a fight; there was a monster, and sheer power. My heart was jolted at just the thought. Could it have been true?

In answer to my first question I suddenly felt the onslaught of aches and unbearable bruises and pains I had never imagined existed. With every breath these injuries were intensified. My senses slowly clicked on. I was alive. But just barely.

"He's up," Genma spoke and I now opened my eyes. Light slowly filtered through the room in the same way as a person lifts the blinds of a window. It revealed at first things close to me, a cover, a bed, a small table with pills sitting atop it. I am in a hospital. I quickly recalled the many other times I had awoken after a battle in a hospital. Truly this was the worst way to come from a battle. You had no idea what was happening, who was alive, if you were okay. You were completely hopeless. It was torturous.

It would be much better that they left a sheet of paper telling you everything that had happened and everything about your current conditions. This beat the waiting in every way, but alas, I was not in charge. "Kotetsu, how are you?" asked the person I realized was Neji Hyuuga.

"I have been worse," I lied. "What exactly happened?"

Genma looked over at me. He was sitting up in a bed, toothpick in his mouth, and one of his eyes covered by a bandage. His hair was messily strewn about and he was obviously annoyed at being stuck in a hospital bed. His left arm was slung up as well, but I could see part of his skin, and it was burned completely black. "Kotetsu, do you remember what happened? You've been in a coma for 2 and a half weeks."

This was news to me. I had never been in a coma before. Heck, the last thing I remembered was fuzzy, but it was something along the lines of Izumo yelling, "watch out" and a blast of energy consuming me. But, I was glad Genma was here. He would be direct in telling me exactly what I needed. It was his style.

"We were worried about you. I fought along side you, and while I was here visiting my cousin who was injured during the battle I decided to visit," the Hyuuga kid said, illuminating the reason for his presence.

"Thanks for your concern, but I have to ask, what did happen? I remember nothing clearly from the moment I ran into combat," I asked, pleading. I was dying to piece together the puzzle that explained the fate of my life, as well as those who I cared for,

"I can explain part of this, and Neji can fill me in where I am lacking. We originally planned to throw as many jutsu at the, beast, until it had been scared off. This plan cost us many strong ninja, but we did find that it had a weakness. You were somewhere to the left of me trying to help evade some of his attacks. I tell you; just the gusts of chakra that flowed off that creature were fatal. But, about halfway into the battle, when all hope seemed completely lost, Iruka found the closest to a weakness this creature had," Genma informed me.

"And, what was that?" I asked.

"Well, he found that if you were able to cut off or absorb the chakra out of one of its tails, you could weaken it. The problem was, its size made it near impossible to see how many tails it had, let alone the problem of actually pinning a tail down. And Iruka, gave his life just finding this creature's weakness," Genma's voice had broken down to a whisper. The somber of that moment was one of the strongest I had ever felt. Iruka was a good man, he had cared for the village, and he had been a friend. Heck, he had really been there for us and had our back more times then I could believe. How many old faces, acquaintances, and smiling, good people were dead? Why had this tragedy come to us?

"Anyway, after this a few of us had been able to meet each other on the battle field and were coordinating our attacks and defenses. Though many came and then got separated from our pact, the core of it was myself, yourself kotetsu, Neji, Kakashi, Izumo, and Gai Sensei. We were syncing our attacks and doing our best to dodge. Neji used his Byakugan to find out how the creature controlled his chakra. And he knew the ability that if he hit it right he could swirl the chakra in a tail, defusing it. We had little hope, but all the Ninja's sacrifices were not to be in vain so we tried an attack that would use Neji's attack."

"You, I, and Izumo went off in the direction of one of the tails. We separated hoping that we would have a better chance if we all struck at the tails farthest to the ends as these were less dangerous, or perceived to be, then the ones in the middle. It took us several tries to dodge the erratic tails that spun out in every direction but we pulled it off at one spot and knew it was our chance. It had swung far from the body and at that point Izumo released his chakra magnetic sludge. This quickly pulled the tail, but only for an instant. The monster had spotted us and was pulling with renewed force on its tail. It was then you leapt out, dodged an incoming tail (at this point we had counted the tails to ten and one was dormant) and you plunged your spears deep into the tails and pressed it into the ground. Your spears were specially designed for this process as I saw through the networks it had, and you pushed with all you had to keep the tail from rising up. I quickly went to work rerouting the tail, hoping beyond hope that I could funnel the powers around enough to damage it. The beast's power quickly intensified and I saw that I myself was in danger. It was only a few moments, but they were long. I had to do my best, but I was only so fast for it was a complicated process. The whole time the beast swung it's other tails at us to stop our weak attack. And while he did this you and Izumo would parlay and block them with what strength you had, or just take the entire brutal force head on, while at the same time managing your attacks on the tail so that it would stay pinned down. Then the monster did something unbelievable, and swung all tails in our direction. I truly believed death was mine at that moment. But in a miracle, you and Izumo took all the damages upon yourself. Except for one tail, that had managed to knock me down," Neji interjected.

"The fact that you are able to put air into your lungs after that, is beyond belief," Genma remarked. I myself was shaken. Had I really done such an unbelievable thing? I remembered the power this creature had.

"When I picked myself off the ground, I almost wondered if I was under an illusion. You and Izumo were still holding the tail down, and by luck a cluster of chakra was forming towards the end of a tail, looking for a release. It would take little more then a few strikes to set it off. I returned to work. A loud boom and snap occurred when the tail exploded nearly like a balloon. It was only after doing this I became cognizant of my surroundings. I looked up and noticed the creature had been staring directly at us. The eyes were not eyes, but just holes with a deep chakra center. The light it shot us was more intense then the face of the Sun. Izumo and you were standing next to me. You were soaked in blood from your entire body. The absolute pain you had to have been feeling, I couldn't even acknowledge. It was then you said, 'Izumo, this is where we die. But regardless of what happens, to save Konoha, we have to keep Neji alive. He can tell the Hyuuga its weakness and they defeat it. We will not fail our last mission.' The words were profound given your state. The creature in one move made to destroy us, striking us. I believed myself dead as I violently landed on the ground. I only survived because you and Izumo had used your bodies as shields to the very end."

When the tale ended, it hardly felt over. Could I have really done all that? It sounded so noble, the kind of death that would make me a legend, and the kind that would be forever remembered. Had I really stood by the sides of warriors in such strength? And yet, as I doubted it, parts of it made sense. Blurry scenes had become clearer, and the acts of the night had become more visible.

"How is, Izumo?" I asked suddenly remembering my worst fear. The world spun in the seconds I awaited an answer.

"He is alive. He is not doing much better then you, but he is alive," the world was suddenly still. I could feel my breath returning. The burden of aches had lessened, if only by a drop.

"You two will be in prime condition in a few months, says Sakura. She has been endlessly working on a way to heal all the shinobi in the village. In fact, she has not stopped working. And she probably won't until every one of us has beenhelped. Part of this has to do with her wishing to forget the loss of Tsunade. It's unbelievable that during such an occurrence we were attacked by assassins who killed the fifth and Shizune," Genma commented. I felt my head starting to really understand what was happening. How many were dead? How long would this death toll continue to ring off the names of my friends? Why was this Konoha's fate? And why had I been chosen to live while so many perished?

"What is becoming of Konoha?" I asked.

"Konoha is doing whatever it takes to survive," Neji stated. "Kakashi is now the acting Hokage, with the highest likelihood of becoming the next kage. Sand and other nations that we have been allied with -such as many in the Mist archipelago- have quickly come to our aid to offer their medical and military alliances. This is due in part to the debts they owe us, for this will make up for any payments needed, and part to our great despair. They know that Konoha is virtually helpless and will be for a while, and the balance of power that this last shift could cause an enemy nation to destroy Konoha and launch the 4th Great Shinobi War. On top of this new reports say Akatsuki is moving and the other Nations do not want our weakness to hand over Naruto to them. The strongest nation now a pile of rubble and death. Konoha is trying every mission she can, but the real act is rebuilding the great wall of Konoha. Our protection and pride is at stake till it is repaired," Neji answered.

"Man, I can't believe all this," I sat my head back on my pillow and thought. This was all so tragic, and horrible. I closed my eyes.

"Have hope, Kotetsu, We will get through this. From Konoha's darkest hour, a new age is approaching. Things have been worse," Genma lied.

_Breix:_

"Yokatsu!" said the large man as he gave me a hug. "Please, please come inside my home! Stay for dinner. How are you, friend?"

"Of course I'll stay for dinner. It's very nice to see you again, Hitomaru," I answered and hugged the man back. It was not my custom to hug, but in this disguise I was no longer Breix, or a Konoha ninja. To him, I was Yokatsu.

"Hitomaru, I got something you're going to like my friend. I know you have an absolute fancy for the rare ceramics from a long lost age, so I have recovered this for you," I said and produced a small ceramic figurine I had found in Stone Village. It was not hard to find these trinkets, but because of their distance from Hitomaru, it was very simple selling it to him.

"Well now, let me get a look at that," he said picking it up and rolling it through his pudgy fingers. I was a ninja, and Yokatsu, the traveling salesman a disguise. But I did pity having to fool Hitomaru like this. I promised myself one day I would find him a true relic and sell it back to him at a cheap price. "I like it, how much will it cost me?"

"I can give it to you for 13,350 ryo, and I may very well be taking a hit. But for you Hitomaru, I know that when I saw that trinket it needed to stand along your collection," and the bargaining was finished. That irresistible selling aspect I had acquired over this man. It really was not far from the act of a Shinobi to fool him like this.

"I'll take it," he smiled, and again I pitied him. He was a good man, had a good heart. And as the money went into my hands I knew how little I needed this man's cash. "So how long will you be around?"

"Oh, it could be a while, I am going to try and wrestle up some interesting articles that I was told could be in the region," I answered.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, I had heard Konoha had undergone an attack and was worried a bit about you. How did you fare?" Hitomaru asked, concern crossing his face. I also noticed something; the ever charming and warm Hitomaru seemed slightly distracted. Something else was concerning him, but I dismissed it.

"I hardly visit Konoha, with business and all," I answered him. This wasn't a lie. Shinobi business seemed to keep me constantly in travel and I had missed some important moments because of that. "And after going there to check up on family, I decided to head out to this corner of the Village Hidden in the mist, to see how one of my favorite and more refined customers was doing."

He beamed. While talking, one of his servants had placed before us the many sensations of fish and fried rice. The best, of course, and I was razzed by it. I ate ravished, or, appearing ravished by the lack of food that the supposed traveling salesman had gotten due to a meager business. This was of course, not the case. Still the assortment of rice, chicken, and sauces did perfectly blend into a succulent meal that I can't say I wasn't glad I had to eat from him, for work of course.

As usual, after a sell, dinner, I would implore him of the goings ons and him; happy to show off his intellect would tell me. It was a system that worked. One thing a Shinobi has to do is build up contacts, and he was one of my most useful contacts in Mist, and my personal favorite. He was a wealthy businessman himself who had humble beginnings, which had always had him look upon me with favor. He now enjoyed a retired life of mingling with commoners and his family so I knew that by meeting with him helped I remind him of his old days. "So, any news to be had in the Hidden Village of Mist?" I asked casually after a quick complimenting of the meal.

He shifted slightly and regained composure. He was uncomfortable, something was troubling him, but I didn't know what. And Hitomaru wouldn't tell me. Then his face smiled as his face showed he knew a big mystery that he could hardly wait to tell me. "I have photographic evidence, one of my boys picked up, that Lord Orochimaru is still alive," he told me proudly.

My ears could hardly decipher what they had just heard. Orochimaru, one of the bitterest enemies of Konoha, was still alive? Everyone had heard the reports of Orochimaru's lairs being ransacked and that Sasuke Uchiha had killed him and left his assistants for dead.

"He is still alive?" I asked, trying harshly to contain my shock.

Hitomaru smiled that smile of someone who has a great secret and is bursting with joy to share it with you. He then pulled out a manila folder from a countertop and produced a single picture. He passed it along to me and I stared. There was no mistaking it; that was the face of Orochimaru. He wore a cloak, and he was in a busy urban area. His yellow eyes were what made it real. They pierced the soul, a deadly way that couldn't be explained.

"That picture was taken this morning off a dock. One of my boys had been out watching the sailors come in and out and this man had stumbled off one boat, and then had apparently gotten in a fight with a commoner. His strength was unbelievable as he sent the person soaring and when he was retreating from the scene this picture was taken," Hitomaru happily regaled his tale to me. I had to admit, it was incredible. Was that really Orochimaru? Would Orochimaru even do that? The mystery I was here to pursue was growing.

"Wow, this is unbelievable. And just when you think the days are becoming safer, a monster like this reemerges," I said, hoping to sway him.

He laughed heartily, "Yeah, I know what you mean. You think your days are going to look up and something like this comes to you and outside your own village!" His face suddenly darkened and then he looked at me with a troubled face. I knew, however, this wasn't the same distraction that had weathered storms across his face all evening. I would not find out what that was, presently. "There is something else happening, not on this Island, but on the Island adjacent to us. A bridge connects us to that smaller Island, but they say it has become dangerous. That monsters roam the nights there."

The words were being registered. Apparently Konoha wasn't the only village experiencing excitement or internal struggles. But, that was the life of Shinobi, never knowing where the next threat would come. "What kind of monsters?" I asked to continue the story.

"They say that the dead doesn't rest. They have escaped from their sarcophagi and are planning on wrecking havoc on the souls of men. Or so people have whispered. It's quite haunting. A good neighbor of mine, type of man you can trust, says his long departed wife had been standing at his window one morning when he awoke. Gave us all quite a scare. And no one dares to travel those roads after the village torches are lit. It meant suicide for the one, as no one traveling those roads at night is seen again," he warned.

I took all this in, and soon left my friend Hitomaru. There were things troubling me. From the start, I had been sent to this little Island chain because Kakashi had calculated due to the frequency of appearances and the locations that two men, both wearing Akatsuki cloaks, were escaping Konoha into this realm. What was suspicious wasn't only that they wore Akatsuki cloaks, but that they were a young man with white hair pulled into a ponytail and glasses atop his face, and a pale black haired thin ninja. These descriptions were eerie, and the fact that Akatsuki had been in Konoha was troubling.

As I wondered away from his abode I was trying to piece together what I knew. Akatsuki sightings, Orochimaru alive, the sightings of the living dead, and a Monster had stricken down Konoha. What was all this? I did not know. Something else was nagging at the back of my mind, a thought I kept trying to lock out but failed to. Why did Hitomaru refer to Orochimaru as Lord? He had been troubled, and knew more then he was telling.

Of all I didn't know, I was sure of one thing. Many answers would come to me after I left and crossed the bridge into the small Island at night.


End file.
